Brisbane Battered By 'Supercell' Storm

Australia's third largest city has been hit by one of its worst storms in decades, injuring dozens and damaging homes and power lines.

Hailstones the size of tennis balls were seen raining down on cars in Brisbane while buildings and streets were flooded.

Up to 90,000 homes were left without power at one stage as winds of 87mph (140kph) brought down trees and electricity lines.

Some 39 people were reported to be injured in the storm, which was as strong as a Category Two cyclone.

Light planes were flipped upside down on an airfield and cars almost submerged in water. Dozens of schools had to be closed.

Queensland state Premier Campbell Newman described the storm as the worst to hit the city of 2.2 million people since 1985.

"It looks like the apocalypse," said one resident of an apartment building that had its metal roof wrenched off by the storm and blown more than 100 metres.

Commuters were also caught up in it, with workers trapped for hours in stalled electric trains.

Meteorologists described it as a "supercell" storm - formed after an ordinary storm cell encountered moist air from sea breezes. It developed a vortex with the air spinning around it as it moved up.

The army was called in to help emergency crews clear up the storm wreckage, estimated to have caused $100m AUS (£85m) worth of damage.